Team Canada's assistant coaches for 2026 Olympics has hockey fans scratching heads

Hockey fans on social media reacted to Team Canada’s recent announcement of four assistant coaches joining head coach Jon Cooper for the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina.

Bruce Cassidy, Rick Tocchet, Misha Donskov, and Pete DeBoer are the assistant coaches appointed to work alongside Cooper. Notably, the group previously led Team Canada to victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off, defeating the United States 2-1 in the final in February.

Here’s how fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to the appointments. One tweeted:

"You hired some unemployed dude."

Another chimed in:

"Guess that means Logan Thompson won't be in the running for one of the goaltending slots."

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

"You selected an unemployed coach who was fired for incompetence and lack of character?Sounds about right for the same people who covered up a group sexual assault and stole kids hockey fees to use as hush-money to try to cover it all up!" a third fan posted.

"Avs twitter gonna be upset their greatest coach of all time was left off the roster. Lmao," another wrote.

"You guys better make sure Russia is in the tournament or none of this matters," one requested.

"You hired some unemployed dude," another chimed in.

Team Canada HC Jon Cooper shares his thoughts on hiring assistant coaches

Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper expressed enthusiasm about the assistant coaches joining him for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina.

Following the successful 4 Nations Face-Off, Cooper welcomed back all four to the coaching staff. Highlighting their impressive resumes, Cooper said:

"After a successful 4 Nations Face-Off, I am excited to welcome Bruce, Peter, Rick, Misha, David, James and Elliott back to Canada’s coaching staff for 2026 Olympic Winter Games, as this is a highly skilled group of coaches that bring impressive resumes to our staff."

“This group of coaches will provide consistency and a winning pedigree to our team, and I know our players will greatly benefit from this world-class coaching staff," he added.

The men’s hockey tournament in Milan and Cortina is scheduled to run from Feb. 12-22, 2026. Team Canada aims to replicate its success at the 4 Nations Face-Off in the Olympic tournament.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta

Team Canada's assistant coaches for 2026 Olympics has hockey fans scratching heads - "You hired some unemployed dude"

Team Canada HC Jon Cooper shares his thoughts on hiring assistant coaches